News Release - Waterworks Lamson Center Axis Rod Reel System

Center Axis

Lamson is getting into the rod business but not in the usual way. I've come to appreciate all my Lamson reels for the bare bones lightweight feeling they provide. They match up great to all my modern ligthweight fly rods. If you have a rod that feels like a chore to cast look close at your reel weight. Often times a rod that feels club like or heavy swing can be cured by reducing the weight of the reel.
The new Center Axis takes this approach to the fullest level by fitting the fly reel as part of the rod. I'll be seeing and casting these next week at I-CAST and I'm sure we'll be hearing more about them.

Watch the vid...

Waterworks Lamson - Center Axis from Waterworks-Lamson on Vimeo.

I'll see you on the water...But you probably won't see me!

Greg Darling 

Gorge Fly Shop
Read more Greg's Post...

"My Passion For Fishing Is A Lifelong Pursuit Of Discovery"

Stillwater Gear Roundup

It is no secret that I love stillwater/lake fishing, both for trout and warmwater species like bass, musky and carp.  I think many fly anglers are intimidated by lakes, or have a bit of a chip on their shoulder about it, but I can tell you it is an absolute hoot, and a totally different challenge than flowing water.

The testing station, complete with wind tunnel

Locked & Loaded

This blog was intended to be the second installment of my lake line review, (please check out last year's Lake Line Shootout here) but as I saw the number of new items I wanted to test I decided to make it an overall stillwater gear overview and review.  I tested most of these items intensively during our annual spring lake extravaganza.  I took new setups and combos out each day to put them to the test.  I also have spent countless days casting in my yard and in the Columbia River to get a better feel for what is truly different about each rod and line and to dial in the best rod/line matches.

Before I get too in depth, here are what have become my go-to favorite stillwater setups for 2017:

Dry Fly Setup: 

This setup should be able to handle everything from midge adults/cripples to damselflies and Callibaetis dries.  The rod/line needs to be accurate and make long casts, but most importantly be delicate, as stillwater fish are pretty wary of their surroundings.

Rod: Winston BIIIx 590-4 or Winston Air 590-4

Reel: Tibor Tail Water

Line: Scientific Anglers Sharkwave Ultimate Trout or Rio InTouch Gold WF5

Chironomid Emerger Dry Fly Action!

Why I chose this setup:  Winston rods are known for their dry fly delicacy, and I make no bones about my love for Winston trout rods.  The SA Ultimate Trout is an excellent line.  It shoots like crazy, floats like a cork, and presents a dry fly as light as you could set it on the water with your hands.  The Ultimate Trout and Gold lines are slightly more aggressive than the other SA Trout lines which helps bite through the wind and load the slightly faster BIIIX.

Lamson Releases New Lightspeed Micra 5 Fly Reels

The New Lamson Litespeed Micra 5 Edition for 2017 is now showing up on our doorstep. At time of writing this we have size #2's ready to ship. Other sizes will start filtering in throughout October. 

What's new and different with the Micra 5 generation of Litespeed? And what does the term "Micra 5" refer to?

"Micra" refers to a brand-new finish, never before used on any fly fishing reel except by us on the 20th Anniversary Force reel. This new finish is 20 times more impervious to corrosion than standard anodize, and is as hard as Type III Hard Alox. The "5" in "Micra 5" refers to the fifth generation of Litespeed.

Lamson Litespeed Micra 5

The drag housing is made from the same solid bar stock as the frame -- no separate threaded cassette. This allows the reel to be narrower, reduces mass and strengthens the frame.

Though larger in each line weight vs. the prior generation, it's actually lighter in mass through integrated drag housing and more frame porting.

More aggressive ratios (larger diameter/narrower spool) means faster retrieve and easier line management.

New and improved drag knob with zero snag points features full diameter with aggressive serrated knurling.

Altogether, the best Litespeed we've ever made!

Check out how Lamson Reels are made in this Vimeo

The Making of a Waterworks-Lamson Reel from Waterworks-Lamson on Vimeo.

Since Litespeed’s inception in 1998 the relationship between it and Force reels has been a constant one. Inventive ideas that first take shape in the Force have been put to work in Litespeed’s more conventional structure, which has over time resulted in one of the most successful and influential fly reels of the last two decades.

We’ve learned from history, and we’re repeating it with the Generation 5 Litespeed. In 2016 we introduced design changes to the Force SL that resulted in engineering alchemy: A fly reel structure that is larger in diameter, stronger and yet lighter.

1. By integrating the drag housing into the frame, the housing itself becomes a structural member, increasing stiffness and strength.
2. Eliminating the cassette and the threaded overlaps reduces material and thus weight.
3. The integrated housing is much narrower and the frame /drag unit much lighter.
4. A narrower drag can support a narrower spool, which results in additional weight reduction.

But what if the reel we’re talking about is already the lightest full drag reel in the world? Perhaps then, as a designer, you think about weight savings as money in the bank, and maybe you decide to spend it elsewhere – by increasing the overall diameter of the reel and trading weight savings into improved retrieve rate.

Hence the new Litespeed: Higher retrieve rate, narrower spool for improved line handling, stiffer frame. Specific to Litespeed you’ll find enhanced 3D milling for better material distribution and an improved ergonomic drag knob for better grip.

Lastly, the Gen 5 Litespeed comes wrapped in a spectacular new finish process first used on the Force SL 20th Anniversary edition, called Micralox. Far more environmentally protective than Type III anodize and even more scratch resistant, Micralox is a proprietary process found only on specific Waterworks and Lamson reels.

We invite you to meet Litespeed Micra 5. As something Yogi Berra might have said, it’s like history repeating itself all over again.

Gorge Fly Shop Team"Fly Fish The World With Us"